Film-coloring process



'. July 14, 1925. 1,546,129

M. HANDSCHIEGL FILM COLORING PROCESS F'ilfecl May l2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 unannounnnnnunn July 14, 1925.

M. HANDSCHIEGL FILM COLORING PROCES S Filed May 12,1925

/ P05/hre 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vr/vater.:

Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITEDv STATES MAX HANI'J'SCHIEGL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FILM-commise. PROCESS'.

Application led May 12, 1923. Serial No. 638,606.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, MAX HANDSGHIEGL, a citizen ofthe United States,'residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Film-Coloring Process, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of color cinematography and is more particularly a simplified process for coloring photographic films.

In the coloring of motion pictures, color screens are employed for vblocking out certain portions of the images of a negative film, so that certain colors of a scene will be represented upon the negative in the form of opaque or exposed portions to which dye or color is applied and thence iniprinted upon a positive film. It is customary in certain processes, .to employ color screens in the photographing camera and to take several negatives of the scene simultaneously, the negativesbeing taken through color screens of different colors so that separate color records are thereby formed. In other coloring methods, the colors are applied .by hand, this of course, being unsatisfactoryowing to the fact that the work is very tedious and the general result isan.

uneven distribution of colors with unsatisfactory results when the picture is projected upon the screen.

It is an object of my invention to provide a process, whereby a positive ilmmay be quickly colored. in such a manner that the background of the picture when projected will appear substantially steady upon the screen owing to the perfect placement of the colors thereupon. When. it is attempted to color backgroundsby hand, a result iS obtained which'causes a wavering in the colored image when the film is projected due to the fact that it is practically impossible to distribute the colors upon a back ound the same throughout a greatnum er of frames. It is for this reason thatthe takingv of separate negatives through color screens at the time the picture is photographed is resorted to so that the background may be imprinted by the color records thus formed.

My invention, however, enables a. background vto be properly and evenly colored vwithut the photographing of separate negf atives throu h color screens at the time of taking .the picture.

vReferring to the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only: Fig. 1 is a view of a fragment of .an original positive film which is to be colored.

Fig. 2 shows the back round master color Fig. 5 is a .representation of a second' positive printed from the negative shown in Fig. 4. Y c

Fig. 6 shows the second positive with color applied to the action thereof.

Fig. 7 diagrammatically illustrates the manner in which a red color record is light impressed through thebackground master color plate.

Fig. 8 diagramma-tically illustrates the manner in which the red color record is light impressed with the red colored portions of the action color plate shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a view-showing theblue color record.

Fig. .10 is a diagrammatic view showin the manner in which the blue color recor is light impressed through the back-ground master plate.

Fig. 11l diagrammatically illustrates a step inwhich the blue color record is light impressed with the blue colored portion of the action color plate.

Fig. 12 shows the red color record thus formed.

Fig. 13 is a view showing the original positive after it has been imprinted with colors from the color records shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 12. u

In the ordinary printing ofnegatives from positives, and of positives from negatives, the images are inverted. For the sake of simplicity to permit the different operations to\ be readily traced, the negatives lshown in the drawings are represented as rectiedimages.

In Fig. 1, a portion of a positive film to be colored, is represented. In order to simplify the exempliiication of my process, the 4 background and the ima e 16 are diagrammatically illustrated. T e background 15 consists of two areas A and B which are to be respectively colored red and blue. The action 16 is comprised of areas C and D which are also to be colored red and blue respectively. It will be recognized that the elements and objects :entering into the background 15 are without movement, but the action movesv back and forth before the background. To represent the movement of the action 16, it is shown in changed positions in the frames 17 and 18 of the original positive.

A portion of clear film or other transparent substance capable ot receiving dyes 1s placed upon the original .positive so that the areas A and B appear therethrough, whereupon these areas A and B are colored in on the surface of .the transparent sheet to form a background color plate. It is preferable to employ orthis purpose a frame 20, cut from a piece of clear nonsensitized lm, because of the fact that the frame 2O may be easily registered upon the separate frames of the original positive by brlnging the perforations 2l thereof into register with the perfor-ations of the original positive. It is generally necessary to move the background color plate from one frame of the original positive to another because the action obscures a portion of the background in one frame, but moves to another position in a following frame, thus exposing the background so that the objects originally obscured may be colored in upon the background master plate.

A duplicate positive hn which is a replica of the original positive, owing to the fact that it may be printed from the original negative from which the original positive is obtained, has the background of each frame blocked out by painting over, or otherwise suitably covering, the background with an opaque dye, leaving the action 16 translucent. The duplicate positive shown in Fig. 3, being thus blocked out, will permit the passage of light only through those portions constituting the action 16 and from this positive, a negative as 'shown in Fig. 4 is obtained. In the development of the negative, -a contrasting etl'ect or in lother words, an yover-development is obtained `Which causes a surplus deposit of silver oxide on the light exposed portions ot' the negative, so that the action is brought out in the negative in the form of an opaque field, having the outline of the action, but registering no tone variations. The excess deposit of silver thereupon, causes, the ac-.

tion of 'the negative to be substantially opaque, whereas, the area .of each frame surrounding the action is transparent, owing to the fact that there was no passage ofv light through the blocked out portions of the duplicate positive to cause the exposure of any portion of the area corresponding to the background 15.

From the negat-ive 25, a second positive 26, as shown in Fig. 5 is printed. Each frame of this second positive, as will be plainly evident, will have a transparent area representing the action 16, while the area surrounding the action will be fully exposed and in development will receive an opaque deposit otl silver oxide. The second positive 26 then has the colors ot the action placed upon the transparent areas representing the action. rlhis; may be accomplished by placing the second positive upon the original and then painting in the red andblue colors respectively in the areas C and D, thus forming an action color plate having the colors of the areas C and D placed thereupon, and having the areas surrounding the action 16 opaque so-that no light may possibly pass through the tilm except through the colored areas C and D of the action. v y

A sensitized film 29 is then placed in a printing machine, this printing machine, as indicated in Fig. 7 may be ot' the projection type, employing a light 30 and a condenser 31 which direct light rays through a. lens arrangement, as indicated at The negative25, shown in Fig. 4 is placed in front of the sensitized film 29 and is run through' the printing machine therewith. A red color lter 33 is placed in the printer in such a position that the printing therethrough, and the background color plate shown in Fig. 2 is mounted stationarily in registered position, so that the light 'rays which are projected upon the iilm 29 must pass therethrough. By using a backlight must pass ground color plate and projecting the printing rays therethrough, a light impression of the sensitized film 29 is obtained which as hereinafter described, enables the coloring of the background of the original positive in such a manner that there will be no wavering therein due to the unequal and improper placing of the colors upon the background Which now results in the coloring of a film by hand.

The licht rays from the condenser 8l, being red in color, will pass through the red filter 33 which allows the passage therethrough of red rays of light only. This red v light from the filter is then impin'ged upon the background color plate which has a blue colored area 4and a red colored area.. The blue areaobstructs or absorbs. the red light rays, thus preventing the passage of light through the area B, whilethered portion A of the background master plate permits the passage of the red light rays therethrough so that those portions of the film 29 upon which the red rays strike will be exposed.

l It will be recognized that the action 16 of i the negative 25 is opaque and will therefore prevent the passage of any light rays, so thaty upon the film 29, only those portions thereof surroundingl the position of the action may be exposed to the red light rays which have been permitted to pass through the red portion of the background color plate. In this manner a blue color record of the background is obtained upon the film 29. A

The background color plate is then removed from the printer, but the red filter is left in.place.- The film 29 having those portions thereof corresponding to the red background light impressed thereupon is again run through the printer, but in this instancehas the action color plate previously formed from the second positive 26, run through in registration therewith, the colored action of each frame of the action color plate being in registration with the unexposed action areas of the film 29, which were blocked out by the opaque portion of the image 16. The red light rays from the filter 33 strike the action color plate and pass through only those portions of the action 16 which have been colored red, therefore light impressing upon the film 29 a color record of the blue Colored areas of the action.. The film 29 is then developed.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that in the operation to which it was subjected in the printer, only the areas A of the background 15 and the areas C of the action 16 have been exposed. Therefore, in the development of the blue color record which the film 29 represents, these areas will receive an opaque hardened silver deposit while the areas B andV D corresponding to the positions of the blue colors on the color plates shownin Figs. 2 and 6, will be transparent, owing to the fact that they were not exposed to light. The film 29 is then placed in a bath of blue dye whereupon the blue dye impregnates the transparent portions B and D thereof,l but does not adhere to the exposed portions. This blue color record, it will be understood, is a negative and the images thereof are inverted from the original positive, thus enabling the blue color record to be placed in contact with the original positive and to impart color -to the original positive from the kareas B and D which have been impregnated in the blue color bath.

The red color record shown in Fig. 12, having the areas A and C impregnated u ith red, is obtained in a manner identical with that employed with the making of the blue color record. As shown in Fig. 10, a green' filter is placed in the printing machine anda;

sensitized ilm- 35 is placed therein with the negative 25 in front thereof in a vmanner similar to that shown in Fig. 7. The background color plate is also placed in registhe printer in registration with the second positive 26, the green light rays passing through the blue portions D of this action color plate-26 and exposing the corresponding action areas of the lm 35, as shown in Fig. 12. The film 35 is then developed with the result that the areas B and D become opaque and are hardened so that the areas A and C will receive the red dye in which the film 35 is subsequently immersed, with the result that a red color record is obtained having red impregnated background areas A -and red impregnated action areas C. The color records, or similar negatives obtained therefrom, are then run through a color transfer machine in contact with the original positive, so that the separate colors carried thereupon are transferred to the surface of the original positive, thus coloring the positive in such a manner that when it is projected upon the screen, a colored motion picture will result'.

As hereinbefore explained, the coloring of the background portions A and B with the colors red and blue imprinted from the color records 29 and 35 will be evenly distributedl in each frame of the film, thus preserving a steadiness in the projected image instead of the flickering color -effect encountered where films are hand colqred. This very desirable result is obtined by the forming of color records from a background master plate, as hereinbefore described, the color record being photographically obtained and therefore the same throughout the separate frames. The method makes possible the coloring of alarge number of positive films at a relative low cost, .owing to the fact that the colors may beapplied to these films by mechanical means which are rapid and economical in operation, as compared to the applicat-ions of colors by hand. A distinct advantage of the invention is that no color screens need be employed during the photoraphing of the original negatives.

The method hereinbefore described employs color screens of only two separate colors. It is to be understood that various other colors may be represented, a very satisfactory arrangement being to employ r'ed, green and violet filters so that a more ex tensive color representation may be obtained.

I claim as my invention:

-1. In a' process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the stationary objects in a film; and employing said color plate to light impress a number of' frames of a color record While preventing exposure of action areas thereof, to permit of a separate coloration of the latter.

2. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the stationary objects in a film; and employing said color plate to consecutively light impress a number of frames of' a color record While preventing exposure of action areas thereof', to permit of' a separate coloration of the latter. 7

3. In a process for coloring motion picture film: makinga color plate of the sta'- tionary objects in a film; and employingl said color plate to light impress a number of frames of' a color record with a color filtered light which is passed through said color plate While preventing exposure of' action areas thereof', to permit of a separate coloration of the latter.

4. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making'a color plate of the stationary objects in a film; and employing said color plate to consecutively light impress a number of frames of a color record Witha color filtered light Which is passed through said color plate while preventing exposure of action areas thereof, to` permit of a separable coloration of the latter. l

5. In a process for coloring motion picture film: makin a color plate of the stationary objects 1n a developed film; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a sensitized film While preventing lexposure of action areas thereof, to permit of a separate coloration of the latter.

' 6. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the stationary objects infa developed film; and

printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon. consecutive frames of asensitized film; While maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the action areas in the consecutive frames, and subsequently coloring said action areas.

In a procs for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the' stationary .objects in a develope'd film; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a sensitized film; while maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the action areas in the consecutive frames; making an action color plate from Asaid de'- velope'd film; and light impressing the action areas of said sensitized film with a filtered light which is passed through said action color plate.

8. In a process for coloring motion picture lm: making a color plate of the stationary objects in a developed film; and

rinting a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive .frames of a sensitized film; while maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the actionareas in the consecutive frames; making a background mat having translucent areas corresponding to the action of said ldeveloped film; coloring said transparent areas to transform said background mat to an action color plate; and light impressing said action areas of said sensitized film with a filtered light passed through said action color plate.

9. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate ofthe sta` tionary opjects in a developed film; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames ot a sensitized film; While maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure ofthe action areas in the consecutive `frames; blocking out the background of a duplicate positive; printing a negative from said duplicate positive and developing the image of the act-ion to a substantially opaque condition; printing a background matfrom said negative; said background mat having translucent areas corresponding to the action of said developed film; coloring said transparent areas to transform said background mat to an action color plate; and light impressing said action areas of said sensitized film with a filtered light passed through said action color plate.

10. In a process4 for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the stationary objects in a developed film by placing a sheet of transparent material over a frame of said Adeveloped positive, so that the image is viewable therethrough and applying colors to said sheet of transparent material; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a sensitized film.

11. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the sta'- tionary objects in a developed film by placing Ia sheet of transparent material over a frame of said developed positive, so-that the image is viewable therethrough, and apply- .ing colors to said sheet of transparent -material; and printing a color record from said/color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a lsensitized film; While maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the action areasrin the 130.

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consecutive frames; making an action color plate from said developed film; and light impressing the action areas of said sensitized film with a filtered light which is passed through said action color plate.-

l2. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the stationary objects in a developed film by placing a sheet of transparent material over a frame of said developed positive, so that the image is viewable therethrough, and applying colors to said sheet of transparent materlal; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a sensitized film; While maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the action areas in the consecuti/ve frames; making a background mat having translucent areas corresponding to the action of said developed film; coloring said transparent areas to transform said background mat to an action color plate; and ight impressing said action areas of said sensitized film with a' filtered light passed through said action color plate.

13. In a process for coloring motion picture film: making a color plate of the sta.

tionary objects in a developed film by placing a sheet of transparent material over a frame of said developed positive, so that the image is viewable therethrough, and applying colors to said sheet of transparent material; and printing a color record from said color plate by directing a filtered light through said color plate and upon consecutive frames of a sensitized film; while maintaining a mat over a part of said film to prevent exposure of the action areas in the consecutive frames; blockin out the background of a duplicate positlve; printing a negative from said duplicate' ositive and developing the image of the act on to a substantially opaque condition; printing abackground mat from said negative; said background mat having translucent. areas corresponding to the action of said developed film coloring said transparent areas to transform said background mat to an action color plate; and light impressing said action areas of said sensitized film with a filtered light passed through' said action color plate.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 5th day of May, 1923.

MAX HANDSCHIEGL, 

